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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
Conducted and Edited by Wm. B. White.
The scale is designed with the old style
There is always an interesting and illuminat-
ing lesson in the study of old systems of piano agraffes running from end to end. When this
building, especially when our duty leads us to piano was built the ca-po-d'astro bar had not been
investigate practically actual specimens of the introduced for the treble sections. One learns
methods which obtained in earlier days. No to be somewhat scared of the agraffes on very
tuner should neglect an opportunity to become old pianos, since these devices have a way of
practically acquainted with as many old pianos pulling out sometimes when their foundations
as possible, whether grands, squares or uprights, have been attacked by dampness and resulting
whether of American or European make. In rust. I am thankful to say, however, that noth-
all cases it will be found that these old instru- ing of the sort occurred.
The outer case of the instrument is made by
ments, pathetic survivals though they be of a
long superseded school, nevertheless have for methods different from those to which we have
all of us most valuable information concealed become accustomed in later days. It is built up,
within their worn-out cases if we but know how rather than made in a continuous rim form.
The length of the instrument is fully nine feet,
to extract it from them.
I am led to these remarks by the recollection and it represents the 'best that was known of the
of a recent case where I was called in to repair piano builder's art at the day of its creation.
It is not too much to say that this old piano
an old Steinway grand. The number of this vet-
eran was 10,013, which would make it about stands as an example of all that is good and en-
forty years old. An examination of the old in- during in workmanship and design. And I can
strument and a little playing on it were enough say this without going out of my way to com-
to convince any one, even if the name of the pliment the distinguished house that produced
maker had been eliminated, that the men who it. I merely wish to point out the fact, here so
built it knew their business in the most thor- clearly shown, that honesty of workmanship and
material, high skill in design and lofty ideals
ough manner.
We find that the action is of the early Herz- give the finest practical results.
Erard type without the improvements which
* * * *
afterwards became universal. There is no regu-
But the study of old pianos, however excellent
lating screw for adjusting the position of the be either their original construction or their
jack with reference to the groove of the repeti- present preservation, is capable of producing
tion lever, nor was there any screw for tighten- other lessons well worthy of our attention. It is
ing the lever springs. (The Steinway house not merely interesting but also very instructive,
have not customarily used this latter device, al- to be able to discover just how our predecessors
though it is now common in most of the other in the art contrived to solve the various prob-
grand actions.) The action rails are of wood lems of tone production, resonance, touch, repeti-
and there are wooden extensions and key-rock- tion, and tone quality. For we are thus enabled
ers iastead of capstan screws from the keys to to reconstruct in our minds to some extent the
the wippen.
progress of the art in all of these details and
to note how improvement has come about in
* * * *
Yet in spite of these old fashioned and out-of- some cases or how we are yet content in others
date appliances; in spite of the fact that the to follow in the footsteps of our fathers.
whole action had to be re-regulated throughout,
Again, whenever it is necessary to undertake
the truth remains that not a single part any- in any radical way a repair on a very old in-
where was broken, not a screw was stripped, strument, it is almost certain that our ingenuity
nor did the most careful examination reveal will be severely taxed. There is little intellec-
that any part had ever been replaced. Surely tual pleasure in repairing an action, say, where
this is a remarkable record, especially when missing parts may be obtained around the cor-
it is considered that an inquiry into the history ner at the supply house. On the other hand it
of the piano made plain the fact that it has been is beneficial, not merely to the mind and hand,
used constantly since the day it was bought, and but also to one's whole net professional effi-
has never been overhauled, an occasional tun- ciency to be occasionally obliged to contrive
ing being the extent of the care that has been new parts for old actions merely with the raw
given it.
materials, one's tools and such examples as the
In regulating the action I was particularly old parts themselves give.
struck by the fact that neither the key-frame
* * * *
nor the key-bed of the piano case had appreciably
It is a sad commentary on the present state
twisted or warped. Indeed it was not necessa^ of our art that good repairers should be so few
to build up the touch depth more than about in number. I am told almost every week by
1-32 of an inch in the middle of the scale. The some piano man that he only wishes he could
hammers too showed that they had almost cer- get hold of a tuner who is also a really masterly
tainly not been filed more than once, and even repairer and regulator; the kind of man, in
so their condition was astonishingly good. In short, who can be sent anywhere and everywhere
fact that action, with new hammers and damp- and who can be trusted to undertake any kind
ers, could have "been put into any piano with of work on a piano successfully. Such a man
the same scale, and have done good service.
has never any fear of being laid off, never any
The sound-board and strings next came under fear of having his salary reduced, and if he be
observation. As might have been expected, the independent he can hardly help getting a good
former was not free from splits, although none practice. This department has from time to
of these were serious, nor were there any cases time contained articles on piano repairing and
of loose ribs. The strings were in almost per- must continue to have them. But I would con-
fect condition; that is to say none were broken sider it a splendid thing if some of my readers
or ever had been broken, there was hardly any would only take the trouble to note on paper
rust on them, and the tone they gave out, even their experiences with old pianos. Such remini-
with a damaged sound-board, was very good in- scences are always interesting and instructive.
deed.
THE
ERNEST A.
TONK
PIANO
I am aware that men who have been obliged to
resort to some makeshift or other in repairing
are often rather chary of giving the inner truth
as to their processes to the public, either through
fear of ridicule or through a jealous desire
to keep their knowledge to themselves.
In neither case is • such a position justified.
When one fears that his methods in repairing
or regulating will not stand the test of criticism
the only way in which this can be tested is to
submit them to criticism. Then and then only
can their vices and virtues be impartially esti-
mated or suggestions for their improvement made
by respectable authorities. Any one can have
his letters appear anonymously if he so desires.
As for mere jealousy of allowing others to
share in one's knowledge, that is surely a very
foolish thing. There is absolutely nothing to be
gained by so doing. For, as implied above, it
is only- by the continual interchange of ideas
that one is able to increase one's knowledge in an
adequate manner. The days of the solitary stu-
dent are over. One must seek knowledge, espe-
cially empirical knowledge, as much from contact
with our fellow practitioners as from resort to
our own unaided ingenuity. Jealousy of one's
rivals is a low form of passion; one of the lowest
indeed to which the human mind is ever bent.
It is a certain outward sign of an inward mental
smallness and ignobility. "He who runs may
read."
Communications for the department should be
addressed to the Editor, Technical Department,
The Music Trade Revie.w.
DEPARTMENT OF PATENTS.
PIANO CONSTRUCTION. Issued December 3, 1907,
to Peter Weber, of New York, assignor to Sohmer
& Co., of New York. Application filed May 24,
1907. Patent No. 872,487.
This is a form of capo d' astro bar arranged
to space off waste ends of piano strings in order
to obtain harmonics or partial tones therefrom
by sympathetic vibration of aliquot parts of said
waste ends. It may be described as a capo d'
astro bar having a pair of flanges, one of which
is stepped, combined with a string engaged by
such flanges, said string having a freely vibratile
portion between the flanges.
PIANO ACTIONS. Issued December 3, 1907, to
John Anderson, of Boston, Mass. Application
filed April 5, 1907. Patent No. 872,551.
This invention is a novel application to grand
piano construction of the continuous hammer
flange system often used in upright actions. The
hammers are pivoted on a continuous metal
flange rail. The place of the regular repetition
lever stop screw, found always in the wooden
hammer flange of the grand action, Is taken by
a stop button arranged at the upper end of the
repetition lever, which button is adjustable and
can be adapted to stop the rise of the repetition
lever at the desired point, just as does the regu-
lar stop-screw in the ordinary wooden hammer
flange. The object of the invention is to over-
come the usual troubles consequent on the in-
evitable loosening of the small stop-screw in a
metal rail.
HAEMONICA. Issued December 3, 1907, to Fer-
dinand Strauss, of New York. Application filed
August 22, 1907. Patent No. 872,589.
A harmonica provided with a communicating
ovoid resonating chamber that increases in diam-
eter from the treble towards the bass of the
harmonica and has closed tapering ends.
PIANO PLAYING MECHANISMS. Issued December
3, 1907, to Thos. Danquard, of New York. As-
signor to the Autopiano Co., of New York. Ap-
E XTRAORDINARY
DURABILITY
A RTISTICD E S I G N
T
OUCH LIGHT AND
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Correspondence with active
dealers solicited.
William Tonk ft Bro.
INCORPORATED
452-456 Ttnth Avt., Nfw Y#rk